Botswana’s credibility as a doyen of democracy is up against its biggest test yet.It is openly challenged and even questioned.Multiple institutions that include elections commission (IEC), the intelligence services (DIS) and the media find themselves subjects of a massive smear campaign in Johannesburg, mounted by various vested interests masquerading under various guises.These interests have taken hostage the leader of opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change, Duma Boko.
In the bigger scheme of things playing out in South Africa, Boko is nothing but an appendage, a mere pawn on a huge chess board.And the expression on his face showed it all at press he addressed in South Africa where the main objective was to plead his case, not to Batswana but to his global financiers.At a press conference Boko looked exhausted and a world away from his exuberant self.He gave an impression that he had been dragged against his will. Of course we shall never know the true details, save to say the main was visibly drained.
There is nothing wrong with Boko petitioning the High Court as a recourse for his dissatisfaction with elections outcome. Doing so is entirely within his rights.But he should do so honestly.More importantly, in doing so he should not reduce himself to a monkey in front, with the enemies of Botswana playing organ grinder behind him.
Or else it will not be long before we are forced to question his loyalty and or allegiance to Botswana. Notorious and footloose financiers with their eyes trained on Botswana are growing increasingly impatient.During the week Paul O’Sullivan said he had compiled forensic evidence the gist of which showed that Botswana is led by an illegitimate government.He said he has shared such information with some people inside the South African government. Botswana government has reason to be worried. O’Sullivan wants only to be known as a “forensic expert for justice” or something to that effect.He is deliberately not stating his relationship with Zunaid Moti, the main Boko sponsor and one of the leading factors behind UDC loss.
O’Sullivan’s proximity to Moti totally disqualifies him to be taken seriously as a detached observer in Botswana politics. The outcome of his report shows that he is wholly immersed and enmeshed in the whole drama.His forensic report reads like a gossip page of a racy tabloid newspaper. His understanding of Botswana politics is totally devoid of context.His analytical discourse is shallow.The report’s commentary is like a poorly drafted sociology thesis produced by an average university undergraduate student.
The report is unanchored, unscholarly, and more tragically clearly and unashamedly predetermined. How for example does sponsoring a church or a social football club in Botswana amount to elections rigging?Details on the DIS slush fund are scrappy at best and nonsensical at worst. Were the ten thousand cards he vaguely talks about created for one constituency, for two constituencies or for the entire country. For O’Sullivan scheme to successfully work there would have to be collusion with hundreds of IEC employees.Where are those people in his report?As a UDC friend of mine would put it, O’Sullivan “is all over the place.”Boko should be careful about his SA connections.
Many of these so-called friends easily wilt when subjected to scrutiny and inspection.They smack of an underworld network.There’s a saying in English; show me his friends and I will show the man.This exposes him to all sorts of unsavory characters from which once sucked in he will never be able to extricate himself. Boko should become more discreet. Most importantly he needs to tamper his insatiable desire to become presidentThe underworld billionaires are taking advantage of Boko’s uncontrollable lust for power.All Boko’s SA connections are unfiltered.
There are no background checks made and certainly no due diligence. Money is always the common denominator.And for somebody who is desperate to become a Head of State that is extremely dangerous.Boko talks about Sunday Standard being captured. He was actually captured a long time back.His supporters are blindly following him, and he’s happy to use them as voting fodder.Botswana has had a stable political climate.There’s an ongoing momentum to destabilise Botswana. And it is gaining pace.Election rigging is not only a perfect metaphor, it is also a perfect alibi.It gives outsiders with vested interests to back the belligerents a perfect excuse to meddle.The ultimate goal is to get the ground fertile for anarchy.
The money men, many of them based in Johannesburg, but also in London see Botswana as a honeypot from which they can line their pockets, one way or another.As Moti’s agent O’Sullivan is intricately linked to the Boko and Ian Khama campaign.In his report O’Sullivan talks of Botswana like he’s referring to some outpost like Evo Morales’ Bolivia in Latin America. He is prescribing a rerun of elections that would exclude Mokgweetsi Masisi in it.That’s what happened to Morales after his victory was questioned.
Clearly there is a script these people are following.That script starts with them wanting Botswana for themselves.In that goal Boko is only a vessel, albeit an imperfect one.These are the people who know that access is power.They are trying to bankroll their man into the Botswana State House, fully aware that if that was to happen, they would henceforth have unfettered access to all of Botswana’s untapped wealth to themselves.Boko has referred to Zunaid Moti as a friend and a brother, which is of course utter nonsense.Moti is from the beginning to the end a financier and benefactor.He is a man who looks at Botswana and all he sees is a vast and empty swath of land rich in diamonds and space to create his dream hemp plantations.
For him Botswana is like a clean white slate waiting to be colonized.It does not appear to him or any of his friends that there are people who call this country home.Like 17th century explorer, he could not be less bothered by the inhabitants. What matters the most is to find a gullible pawn that could facilitate and fast-track his entry. Thankfully Batswana are belatedly waking up to the menacing reality of these creeping global mafioso masquerading as businessmen.Sadc observers have pronounced elections here free and fair. As has those from the European Union and also the United States.
The 2019 General Elections provided a rare opening for them.With elections becoming a distant memory for many, they can see that window shutting down right before their eyes. And they do not like what they are seeing.
